Blood Thirst, also known as Blood Seekers and The Horror from Beyond, is a 1965 American-Filipino horror film directed by Newt [aka Newton] Arnold (Hands of a Stranger).
The film’s plot, scripted by N.I.P. Dennis (his only listed credit), is frequently nonsensical, involving a South American belly dancer, played by Yvonne Nielson, who has uncovered an ancient Aztec secret for eternal life, involving regular blood transfusions. To this end, she has enlisted the aid of a Filipino club owner who turns into a monster when he is stalking his prey…
Reviews:
“With the focus on this second-rate Mike Hammer, Blood Thirst sticks closer to private eye conventions than traditional horror, but the story moves fast enough to engage and some unsettling set pieces towards the end of the film bring it back to the realm of the eerie.” All Movie
“Blood Thirst is the only film I can recall that makes a city of over 10 million people seem uninhabited. Still, it’s an interesting 73 minutes, more for what it is than what it does: a cheapo spookshow which predates the John Ashley/Roger Corman deluge of Philippine horrors by several years.” Andrew Leavold Blogspot
“The only reason to watch this cheap exploitation flick is the unusually good staging of shots and black and white cinematography. The lighting, the framing, the subtle camera work is very sophisticated for films of this kind. Unfortunately, everything is too boring…” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers
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“The horror aspects are kept to a minimum until we see the villain, an actor in a bumpy mess of a face mask that resembles a really bad Doctor Who monster. The film is better shot and better acted than most of its type, but this talky effort will have you screaming for the outrageous ineptitude of Filipino chillers like Brides of Blood and The Mad Doctor of Blood Island.” DVD Drive-In
“It’s all pretty cheap, and the plot stalls on occasion, but actually the thing had an intriguing little charm about it that helped pull me through. Nothing great, but a little better than you might expect, given its obscurity…” Fantastic Movie Musing and Ramblings
” …Blood Thirst isn’t particularly graphic but does have enough eccentric personality to make it stand out from the pack, particularly thanks to a script packed with far more witticisms than usual. In keeping with its influences, the film is also very chatty and may be slow going for modern viewers; however, the payoff is pretty wild when the monster antics finally kick into gear.” Mondo Digital
“The black and white cinematography doesn’t hide the ridiculousness of the killer’s mask but it gives the movie a nice, almost noirish atmosphere. At seventy-four minutes or so, the movie doesn’t overstay its welcome and if it won’t be a surprise to anyone even halfway paying attention who the killer really is, the picture is well-paced and entertaining.” Rock! Shock! Pop!
“The mystery, the tension and the suspense is what draws your attention and while the characters are somewhat interesting, it is the situation and the ambience that really makes this film as good as it is. Blood Thirst may never have won any awards and nor will it leave its mark on history, but it is a fun watch for those that like movies like this.” The Telltale Mind
Cast and characters:
Katherine Heryk … Sylvia Ramos’ Yvonne Nielson … Serena; Vic Diaz … Miguel – The Thirsty Dead; Daughters of Satan; The Blood Drinkers; John Soberano … Soberano; Bruno Punzalan … Moreno; Judy Dennis … Theresa; Max Roio … Max
Filming locations:
Philippines
Release:
Blood Thirst was released in the USA in 1971 by Chevron Pictures on a double-feature with British vampire film Bloodsuckers (aka Incense for the Damned). Free “vampire rings,” were given to movie patrons.
Film Facts:
Director Newt Arnold went on to be assistant director on many big-budget Hollywood movies. As regards genre entries, he worked on The Guardian and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
Watch the whole film online at the Internet Archive
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